Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Here's how you can quit smoking. Just walk 5 minutes a day. Hmmm, somehow I don't think that works for me. From TIME:

Taylor and colleagues reviewed 12 papers looking at the connection between exercise and nicotine deprivation. They focused on exercises that could be done outside a gym, such as walking and isometrics, or the flexing and tensing of muscles. According to their research, just five-minutes of exercise was often enough to help smokers overcome their immediate need for a nicotine fix.

After various types of moderate physical exertion, researchers asked people to rate their need for a cigarette. People who had exercised reported reduced a desire. "What's surprising is the strength of the effect," said Dr. Robert West, professor of health psychology at University College London. West was not involved in the review. "They found that the acute effects of exercise were as effective as a nicotine patch," he said.

4 comments:

Smoke quitting is hard (its too tempted)= Bullshit (It's just an excuse for what non-smokers'think)

Actually, I am a second-smoker!!

Definately, I will choose not to be a global warming maker or green peace killer, he!!

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things for smoker will ever do:

You will live longer and live better.

Quitting will lower your chance of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer.

If you are pregnant, quitting smoking will improve your chances of having a healthy baby. (if you gain weight, it doesn't matter, cos your hubby still luv ya ^^)

The people you live with, especially your children, will be healthier.

You will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

Five Keys for Quitting

1. Get Ready

Set a quit date.

Change your environment.

Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.

Don't let people smoke in your home.Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not.

Once you quit, don't smoke—NOT EVEN A PUFF!

2. Get Support and EncouragementStudies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways: e.g tell family, friends, and coworkers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out.

Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.

When you first try to quit, change your routine. Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place.

Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.

Plan something enjoyable to do every day.

Drink a lot of water and other fluids.

4. Get Medication and Use It CorrectlyMedications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.

Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or other health care provider before taking medications.

5. Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations

Most relapses occur within the first 3 months after quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:

Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success. Other smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.

Weight gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight gain distract you from your main goal—quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain. Bad mood or depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.

If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.

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I.Z. Reloaded covers news, pop culture, blogs, websites, gadgets, the fascinating and the weird from a Singapore perspective. The blog is a runner up in both the 2006 Weblog Awards (Best Asia Blog) and the 2004 Asia Blog Awards (Best Singapore Blog) and it is also the first Singapore blog to be syndicated by Newstex. I.Z. is the Executive Producer and Creative Director at branded content studio R3LOAD Network. He is the creator of hit show Singapore Haunted. Previously a Producer at Klik.TV and has served as the Brand Ambassador for Comboutique Asia, Blog Ambassador for Advertlets and Brand Ambassador for San Street. Send him stories, invites, sponsorships at izreloaded[at]gmail[dot]com.